


Embrace: Childe - Chapter 1

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Crossover, Drama, M/M, Relationship(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-08-06
Updated: 2003-08-06
Packaged: 2018-11-20 07:15:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11331039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: A handsome stranger offers Skinner immense power over his enemies, but the price of that power turns out to be more than he had been willing to pay, leading to catastrophe for those around him.





	Embrace: Childe - Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

Embrace: Childe

### Embrace: Childe

#### by Jo B

  


Title: The Embrace: Childe 

Author: Jo B 

Keywords: M/D, Sk/O slash 

Rating: NC-17 

Category: Crossover, dark, romance, non-con, AU 

Series Summary: A handsome stranger offers Skinner immense power over his enemies, but the price of that power turns out to be more than he had been willing to pay, leading to catastrophe for those around him. 

Chapter Summary: On a cold January morning two stranger's lives intersect leading them down the path to romance, until tragedy interrupts leaving both men reeling and drawing them closer together. 

Spoilers: Yes. This story begins after SR819 in season 6. 

Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property Chris Carter, 1013 productions and Fox Broadcasting. Vampire: The Masquerade is the property of to White Wolf, Publishing. No money is being made from their use. 

Warning! This story contains romance between two men. Turn back now, if the subject matter offends you. Character death but not Mulder, Doggett, or Skinner. 

Archive: Okay to archive just leave my name attached. 

Web site: http://slashingmulder.com/JoB/ 

Author's notes: I decided to try my hand at a vampire story that is based in "Vampire: the Masquerade" and "Kindred: the Embraced" Universes. 

In the basketball scene from the episode Two Fathers, the dialog comes directly from the episode. I felt the scene was important to the story. 

The Masquerade Definitions:   
Kine: is the Kindred's term for humans  
Childe: a term used for a young vampire or what a sire calls one he/she has embraced. The plural form is childer. 

Major thanks to Joey for beta-reading this story. 

* * *

Chapter 1  
The Embrace: Childe  
By Jo B 

The Washington Harbor  
Thursday, January 21, 1999  
11:00 p.m. 

A cold mist had settled heavily in the nighttime air, leaving its icy touch behind on the tarps, ropes, and crates that filled that section of dock. Overhead in the velvety black sky the moon was a pale sliver its rays not quite reaching the water lapping against the old timbers of the pier. The mist continued to grow denser by the minute making visibility near zero. Light from the nearest lamppost didn't quite reach ten feet into the murkiness. 

A foghorn sounded in the distance giving the surrounding area a dark menacing feel. The darkness and cold didn't hinder the lone figure walking along the dock. Sirius Tampir had just returned from a trip to London onboard his yacht birthed several hundred feet from where he strolled. Instead of taking a limousine back to his estate, Sirius felt the pull of the night, the hunger, the all-consuming need for sustenance. As was wont with his kind, the need for blood was the essence of their survival, their existence. Blood was far more than just a source of nourishment; it was also a source of great pleasure, and a means to continue their unearthly race. And it was best not to put off feeding for too long for fear that the beast would take over. Since his embrace over a millennium ago, Sirius had experienced the beast on several occasions, and did not wish to lose control to it again; for fear that it would take over for good and the final traces of what remained of his humanity would disappear with it. 

Sirius Tampir was fifth generation Kindred, of the Ventrue clan, and a clan elder. He was one of the oldest of his kind to still walk the earth. Very few in the fifth generation had survived the countless wars between their kind, werewolf attacks, and persecution by humans during the middle ages. Some had just grown weary of their existence and given into the beast. They had to be put down like the animals they had become otherwise they might have exposed the masquerade. Still others had finally evolved into Methuselahs and taken to the Earth to slumber beneath where they control their clans through telepathy. 

The warehouses Sirius passed on his solitary stroll were his own, containing the merchandise from his import export business. Tampir Enterprises had been a well-known entity in D.C. for decades. Politicians sought him out for donations to their campaigns in exchange for special favors granted only to persons of his esteem and importance. He wondered what they would think if they knew that the favors they granted were to a predator preying on their species. 

He heard voices coming from a parking lot a hundred feet away and silently moved in that direction. His supernatural eyesight pierced through the fog and darkness as if it were a clear winter's day. 

Two men stood between two empty cars that had their motors idling. The headlights on the cars pierced the darkness illuminating the men. Sirius could easily take both of them and quench his hunger, but he held back. These were not his normal prey. He preferred to prey on those kine less likely to be missed by family and friends, and usually he fed from several taking just enough blood from each, but not enough that it would kill them. So he stood silently in the cover of darkness and watched these two kine argue. The hatred they felt for each other was a visible thing. 

"Mulder is no longer on the X-Files! He's not a threat to your masters! Leave him alone!" the bald-headed one growled. 

"Give me the tape. You have your orders and you better perform them like a good, little, trained puppet and get used to it! Don't forget I hold your life in my hand." 

Sirius watched as the dark-haired one pressed a button on the palm pilot he held. The large bald man doubled over in pain and dropped to his knees. His veins became visible through his skin, throbbing, pulsing as if the blood inside them were alive. 

The dark-haired one turned off the palm and placed it in his pocket. "The tape! Now, Skinner!" 

After the man called Skinner had recovered enough to move, he reached into his pocket and removed a videotape. The dark-haired man reached down and snatched the tape from his hand. 

"Krycek, I hope someday you rot in hell!" 

A smirk graced the other's lips. "Then I'll see there, Skinner! Where else would a man go who betrays his friends?" 

Skinner's shoulders slumped in defeat as Krycek slid behind the wheel of one of the cars and drove off. Tears mixed with the moisture from the air now coated Skinner's face and ran off his scalp as he straightened and glared venom at the retreating taillights until they disappeared into the fog. At that moment Sirius realized that this was the one. This kine had the will to survive, and the pride and bearing of a true Ventrue. It had been over six centuries since he had last sired a childe. Until now no one had attracted his interest like this man. 

The ancient vampire watched as Skinner moved toward his car and slid behind the wheel. Sirius memorized the license plate number. He would seek this one out in the coming days. Being a clan elder he would not need the Prince of DC's permission to sire a childe, unlike lesser vampires. 

* * *

Alexandria  
Saturday, January 23, 1999  
1:00 p.m. 

Doggett rode his bicycle around the park following the bike paths, while being careful of the patches of ice on the asphalt. His jacket wasn't heavy enough against the cold winter wind whipping through the trees, he regretted not wearing a heavy sweater beneath it. A knit cap covered his ears and forehead while his gloved hands clutched the handlebar. Normally he wouldn't have gone biking on a day like today. But he needed to get out of his house; the four walls had become too confining. Sometimes the loneliness of living by himself became unbearable and he needed to get out among the trees and breathe the fresh air. 

While he rode, his mind went over his last case in Criminal Investigations. Another child abduction only this one had a happy conclusion unlike so many others. Sweet Jesus he hated those cases, each and every one reminded him of his son. 

Doggett was too busy thinking and avoiding another patch of ice that he missed seeing the jogger who crossed his path as the bike path intersected with the jogging path. 

He collided with him and they both went flying, ending up sprawled out on the asphalt path. 

After Doggett caught his breath, he untangled himself from the bike and stood. Other than a few bruises he didn't seem to have been hurt, unlike his collision victim. "Damn, I'm sorry, guy! Are you okay?" 

The man sat up holding his knee that was bleeding through a torn pair of sweatpants. "No. It was my fault; I should have been paying better attention." He picked up a goofy looking knit hat lying next to him on the pavement and put it back on his head. He wore only a multi-layered jogging outfit and gloves, but no coat. 

Doggett kneeled beside the man and gazed into a pair of beautiful almond shaped hazel eyes attached to a very attractive face. "Let me have a look, I know some first aid." 

"I'm fine... it's just a scrape. What about you?" 

"Other than my bike's bent wheel, I'm all right." Doggett held out his hand. "John." 

The man shook it, and then said hesitantly, "Fox." 

Doggett's eyebrow raised slightly at the unusual first name, at least the man's parents called that one right. After a brief examination of Fox's knee, he helped the man to his feet. "No harm, no foul," Doggett said. 

"Do you live far from here?" Fox asked as he looked down at the broken bike while standing on one-foot nursing his injured leg. 

Doggett up righted his bicycle. "Yeah, ten miles. It's going to be a long walk home." 

"I only live a couple of blocks from here. If you'd like, I can drive you and your bike home after I change out of these torn pants." 

"I'd be forever in your debt, Fox." Doggett smiled, he had been hoping to entice a lift out of his new acquaintance. 

"Come on then, it's too cold to be standing around." 

Fox started limping in the direction of several apartment buildings visible through the trees. Doggett followed dragging his disabled bike. 

They crossed Hagel at the intersection and instead of going to one of the apartment buildings Fox led him over to a blue Ford Taurus and opened the trunk. "No need to haul your bike up to my apartment." 

Doggett removed the front tire so the bike would fit in the trunk. "I really appreciate your help, Fox." 

"No problem. I don't have anything else to do today." 

"No girlfriend waiting for you?" 

"Nope." Fox shrugged. "I've had pretty bad luck with women, so I've basically given up on them." He opened the door to the apartment building and let Doggett inside. "What about you, John?" 

"I'm between relationships," Doggett said while thinking, yeah four years between. 

They took the elevator up to the fourth floor and walked down the hallway to apartment 42. 

"Would you like some coffee?" Fox asked as he let John into the apartment. 

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble... I could use something to defrost my veins," Doggett said as he removed his gloves and knit cap before shrugging out of his jacket. He shoved his gloves, cap into the sleeve of the jacket. Then he hung it on the cue ball coat rack by the door. 

"It's no trouble." Fox hung his knit stocking cap on the coat rack and limped into the kitchen. 

"Nice coat rack, weird ass hat," Doggett commented as he followed Fox into the small kitchen. 

Fox chuckled. "The hat was from a friend who knits as a stress reliever." 

"Fox, why don't you let me make the coffee, while you go and take care of your knee?" 

Fox smiled and handed him the bag of ground coffee. "I'll be back in a sec make yourself at home." 

After Doggett had the coffee brewing he wandered around the apartment stopping at the fish tank to tap on the glass as he briefly watched the fish. The place was relatively clean with the usual amount a dust one would expect from a bachelor's apartment. He enjoyed the cozy masculinity of the furnishings. 

"Sorry for the mess, it's the maid's day off," Fox quipped as he walked into the living room dressed in stonewashed jeans and a black v-neck sweater. 

"We must have the same maid," Doggett said. He couldn't keep his eyes off the handsome man. The jeans Fox was wearing were worn in all the right places and Doggett couldn't contain the feeling of arousal he felt as his eyes traveled over the well-defined groin area. 

Fox noticed his interest and his lips raised in a nervous smile. "I think the coffee is ready." 

"Fox, you said you've given up on women, have you ever given men a go?" Doggett asked as he followed him back into the kitchen. 

Fox shrugged as he set two mugs on the counter. "I've been attracted to both sexes since I became sexually active, but I've never given men a go. I'm not sure how to go about it...." 

Doggett stopped Fox's hand from reaching for the coffeepot. When Fox turned to look at him, John leaned in and kissed him tentatively at first, Fox's lips parted and the kiss became more passionate. John's arms looped around the firm male body pulling him closer. This felt so right. 

Their kiss lasted several minutes. When they finally parted, they both looked at the other questioningly. 

Doggett reached for the coffeepot and filled their mugs. "I'm usually not this forward with someone I just met. To be perfectly honest, Fox, since my divorce four years ago I've rarely dated." 

"But you have sexual experience with other men?" He leaned casually against the counter as he accepted the mug of coffee from John. 

"During my years in the marines I dabbled." Doggett sipped the hot beverage, for some reason he felt comfortable talking to Fox. Maybe it was because they were still both strangers and if this ended now he wouldn't have to worry about running into him again. "I couldn't admit back then that I was gay, I wanted a family and a normal life so badly that I married a woman who I thought I could come to love and we had a son together. When he was killed, there was nothing left holding our marriage together, so we divorced." 

"I'm sorry about your son," Fox said. 

"Yeah, so am I." Doggett couldn't stop his eyes from misting over. "Luke was a good kid." 

An uncomfortable quiet surrounded them as they finished their coffees. 

"Let's get you and your bike home." 

Doggett set his mug in the sink when he noticed that the kitchen didn't have a dishwasher. They walked over to the door and Fox pulled on a leather jacket he had hanging on the coat rack while John put back on his coat shoving his hat into the pocket while pulling on the gloves. He thought his gloomy mood had put Fox off, but before he could open the front door Fox placed a hand on his arm. 

"I want to find out what it is like having sex with another man, if you're willing to show me?" Fox said. 

Doggett smiled. "I'm more than willing, why don't you go pack a bag you can spend the night at my place." 

Fox grinned and hurried into his bedroom and came back a few minutes later with a duffel bag. 

Doggett knew that he was being impulsive and only hoped he didn't live to regret this decision, but figured that if this doesn't work out at least he would have gotten laid. Since neither one had given the other their last name there was no real sense of commitment on either of their parts. This could be a one-night stand between strangers and nothing more or it could blossom into something more substantial. The thought of showing the other man the joys of male sex held a certain appeal to Doggett. 

* * *

Washington Grill   
Saturday, January 23, 1999  
9:00 p.m. 

Skinner sat at the bar nursing his third bourbon. He could be at home drinking alone but he had felt like being around other people tonight. He already had dinner in the dining room but was in no hurry to leave. The only place he had to go was back to his empty apartment. 

So instead he sat alone surrounded by strangers as he thought about how fucked up his life had become. He didn't have any idea how to get himself out from under Krycek's thumb. Skinner's hand tightened on the tumbler at the thought about that rat bastard and the humiliation and dishonor Krycek was putting him through. What kind of a spineless man had he become to betray his own agents? How could he do that to Mulder who had too few people in his life that he could trust? Krycek didn't even leave Skinner the option of resigning from the bureau. If he tried to quit he was a dead man, if he didn't do exactly as Krycek ordered, same outcome. 

Skinner had thought about shooting Krycek, but the bastard said he had an accomplice who would see to it that Skinner died a slow painful death if anything happened to him. He had no way out unless he took his own life, and he wasn't ready to die just yet. Where there was life, there was hope. 

"Mind if I join you?" 

The voice startled Skinner from his thoughts. He glanced up at a young man standing beside the empty barstool next to him. "Sit wherever you want." 

"I didn't want to intrude. You seemed troubled." The man sat on the barstool and flagged the bartender. "Tough week?" 

"You could say that," Skinner said as he appraised the man sitting next to him while the bartender took his order. The man looked to be around thirty with pitch-black hair tied back in a ponytail and striking blue eyes. He was around Skinner's height but slender, almost too thin and pale. He wore an expensive suit along with a ring that had an insignia on it. Skinner noted the manicure and perfectly trimmed nails. 

"Sirius Tampir the Fourth." The man held out a manicured hand. 

Skinner looked at it a second before shaking it and introducing himself. "Walter Skinner." The hand felt unusually cold and the man's name was familiar. "Are you part the Tampir family that owns Tampir Enterprises?" 

"Yes, my great grandfather started the business back in the 1920s after the First World War." 

Skinner found the man's voice captivating it had a slight accent that he couldn't quite place. He frowned and looked down at his drink. He didn't want to be attracted to him. 

"Would you like to talk about what is troubling you?" 

"No." 

"It might do you some good to get it off your chest and I am a real good listener." 

"Look, I told you I don't want to talk about it!" Skinner growled in a low voice as to not cause a disturbance. "If I wanted a shrink I'd look in the yellow pages!" 

"I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that a handsome man like yourself drinking alone on a Saturday night doesn't seem right," Sirius soothed. 

Skinner looked into Sirius' mesmerizing eyes and found himself apologizing. "I'm sorry I snapped at you that was rude of me. It's just that I've been under a lot of stress lately." 

"Let's go somewhere more relaxing then," Sirius said as he gazed deeply into the other's dark brown eyes. 

"Where?" Skinner asked as he stood in a trance like state to follow the other man. It did not register in his mind to wonder why he would want to go with this stranger, he only knew that he did. He paused to pull on his leather bomber jacket. 

"My estate." 

* * *

Doggett's House  
Saturday, January 23, 1999  
11:00 p.m. 

Doggett climb out of the bed and tried not to wake the man sleeping sprawled out on his belly next to him. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his lips as he walked into the bathroom. This had turned out better than he had imagined. Fox was so responsive to his touches. Although they didn't progress further than a couple of hand jobs and one blowjob, he still hoped to persuade Fox to fuck him sometime in the future if they continue to see each other. 

They spent part of the evening watching television and talking about sports and movies, but steered clear of any personal discussions. Other than his earlier mention of his wife and son, they seemed to have made a silent agreement to keep that part of their lives a secret for now. It would be relatively easy for Doggett to find out all he wanted about the other man from his address. But for now he was getting off on the mystery. 

Doggett gave his dick a quick shake then flushed the toilet and walked over to the sink to wash his hands. When he looked in the mirror he met Fox's eyes as the other man stood naked leaning against the door jam. Fox seemed relaxed about his nudity. Well with a body like that Doggett could see why. 

"With the way you went out I'd thought you'd sleep until morning," Doggett said as he dried his hands. 

"No one's ever gave me head the way you had. And I always thought Phoebe was good." 

"C'mere." Doggett pulled Fox into his arms and kissed those sweet kiss-swollen lips. His body felt so right in his arms... perfect... as if they were both designed specifically for the other. He enjoyed the strength of being in Fox's arms as his new lover returned the embrace. The swell of Fox's growing arousal pressed deliciously against his own aching erection. 

They slowly started to hump against each other while continuing to kiss. They both must have been on hair-triggers because it didn't take long before they were moaning out their release into the other's mouth and holding each other tighter. 

After a couple of minutes, Fox sighed contentedly, "I've never came four times in one night before." 

"You never had the right partner before," Doggett said with a certain amount of pride in his voice. He walked back to the sink and soaped up a washcloth, tossing it to Fox before soaping up another one for himself. 

Fox cleaned the come from his groin and belly. "I think you may be on to something there, John." Then he rinsed the washcloth and cleaned the soap from his body. 

"Let's go back to bed," Doggett said. He took the washcloth from Fox and tossed it into the laundry hamper inside the bedroom closet. 

Earlier they had determined what side of the bed each preferred to sleep on. Once they were settled under the covers they lay facing each other. Fox placed his hand on John's hip and closed his eyes; with a contented smile on his lips he fell asleep. 

* * *

Tampir Estate  
Saturday, January 23, 1999  
11:00 p.m. 

Skinner glanced around the opulently decorated room feeling as if this was some strange dream. His host had left him alone in the room. So Skinner wandered around, sipping an expensive cognac, while studying the old portraits hanging on the walls, ancient tapestries, a coat of arms that matched the insignia on the ring Sirius wore, and an assortment of medieval weapons. One wall in the study was filled with expensive leather-bound books. 

"Hello." 

Skinner started at the sound of the voice near his ear. He turned to see a beautiful woman standing beside him. 

"I'm Yvette. Are you a friend of Anthony's?" 

"He's with me," Sirius said as he walked back into the room. 

A brief look of surprise crossed the beauty's flawless features. "You have good taste, Sirius. I hope you share." 

"This one is off limits. You tell that to Anthony when you see him." Sirius motioned toward the door. "Now leave us, childe." 

Yvette's green eyes narrowed as if she had been insulted. She turned in a huff and sashayed out of the room. 

Their conversation had Skinner feeling like he walked into the twilight zone. "Mr. Tampir, just why did you bring me here?" 

"Sirius. I brought you here, Walter, to offer you unspeakable power to use against your enemies." The vampire stopped in front of Skinner. 

"What do you mean?" Skinner felt like he was drowning in the other man's stunning blue eyes. A fire made its way down to his groin as blood swelled his penis with arousal. 

Sirius leaned in and kissed him. Skinner closed his eyes at the feel of the Sirius' lips on his and moaned. The man's touch sent spikes of pleasure throughout his body. The mouth moved off Skinner's lips and down to the open collar of his shirt. Skinner gasped as he felt the prick of teeth against his throat, then a strange sensation of pleasure swept over him and he was floating through the clouds. 

When Skinner opened his eyes he found himself lying alone in a large bed covered with blankets. Sunlight poured in through the bedroom window. He lifted the covers and peered under them. He was naked. What happened last night? 

"Good morning, sir. I take it you slept well?" a strange man asked as he stepped into the bedroom carrying a breakfast tray. He set it on the table in front of the window and started to unload the plates from it. 

"Who are you? Where am I?" 

"I'm James the butler. You are a guest of Mr. Tampir." He opened an armoire, pulled out a plush robe, and carried it over to the bed. 

"Where is he? And where are my clothes?" Skinner remembered coming there last night, but he had no idea why he did. 

"He's in his office. Your clothes are in the laundry, the maid will bring them up shortly." James held up the robe for Skinner to put on. "Your breakfast is getting cold." 

The aroma of food was making Skinner hungry, for some reason he was famished and his throat felt parched. 

"How did I get into bed...I don't really remember much from last night," Skinner confessed as he climbed out of bed and put his arms through the sleeves of the robe. He only recalled snatches from last night up to the point where Sirius kissed him and how much he wanted to be kissed. 

"You drank a little too much last night." James removed the covers from the plates. "I helped Mr. Tampir get you into bed." 

"Just how drunk did I get? I usually can handle my alcohol." Skinner picked up the glass of orange juice and drained it in three swallows. 

"You passed out after throwing up." 

Skinner flinched. He hadn't gotten that drunk since he was eighteen. "I'm sorry for being such a nuisance. I had no intention of staying here over night." 

"Don't worry, Mr. Skinner, you are no trouble. Now eat. I'll go and get you another glass of orange juice." 

"Thank you, James." Skinner felt awkward; he wasn't used to someone waiting on him, that is, other than Kimberly his administrative assistant. He sat at the table and started in hungrily on the breakfast of hash browns, ham, and eggs prepared just the way he liked them sunny side up with a splash of Tabasco sauce. How did the cook know? He picked up a slice of buttered toast smeared generously with orange marmalade, another favorite of his. 

He wondered just how far he had gone with Tampir. His body didn't feel like he had done anything that he would regret. He mulled it over in his mind as he tried to remember just what happened after Sirius kissed him. If he did get that drunk then how come he didn't have a hangover that usually comes with it? Something didn't sit right with Skinner, starting with him coming here in the first place. 

* * *

Doggett's House  
Sunday, January 24, 1999  
11:15 a.m. 

Mulder drifted awake and smiled as he felt the strong pair of arms holding him. He'd never awakened to a more wonderful sensation. He laid perfectly still savoring the feel of the warm masculine body against his and the smell of sex. John's feet were sandwiched between his. It was such an unusual sensation to wake up feeling safe and not alone. The bedside clock said it was after eleven o'clock. He'd never stayed in bed this long before. 

Since he had lost the X-Files again, Mulder had been attempting to take life in stride. He wasn't busting his ass at work on the cases that Kersh assigned to him and Scully. Usually those cases were so damn simple that he'd quickly resolve them then skip out to play basketball with some friends. Okay, maybe he was bitter over losing the X-Files. 

At least he should be grateful for one thing; if he still had the X-Files he would never have had this spur-of-the-moment affair with a total stranger. His normal paranoia would have kicked in. 

Mulder's bladder finally had him climbing out of bed and hurrying into the bathroom. 

When he walked back into the bedroom, John was sitting on the edge of the bed looking up at him with a grin. "I forgot how nice it was to have someone to warm my bed." 

"I felt the same way when I woke up." Mulder grinned back. "John, I enjoyed myself last night. Do you mind if I take a shower?" 

"No. Do you mind if I join you?" 

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't." 

John stood and followed him back into the bathroom. He pulled the shower curtain in the bathtub closed and turned on the water. While they waited for it to heat up, John pulled several towels out of the linen cabinet and placed them on a bench beside the bathtub. "Do you have plans for today?" he asked. 

"I should be heading home; I still need to do my laundry. Otherwise I'll have to go to work kamikaze tomorrow." 

"How about at least staying for breakfast or considering the time lunch?" 

"I'd like that," Mulder said as they stepped into the bathtub. 

They faced each other under the hot spray. Mulder caressed his companion's well-defined chest, his fingertips enjoying the feel of muscles. How often had he fantasized about touching another man this way? He recalled the times in Skinner's office where he fantasized about unbuttoning that starched white shirt and running his fingers through the man's chest hairs. To Mulder this was like a gourmet feast after a lifetime of fasting. He was so hungry for John, and knew this one time meal wouldn't quench his appetite. 

"I'd like to see you again," Mulder said. 

"Anytime you want to stop by," John said casually. 

Mulder leaned in and kissed him. "I think I can get really used to this." 

John placed his hands on Fox's hips and looked deeply into his eyes. "Me too." 

* * *

Tampir Estate  
Sunday, January 24, 1999  
11:00 a.m. 

Whatever it was in Walter's blood, Sirius felt as if he was on what the kine would call a caffeine high. He stood outside in the soft light filtering through the heavy cloud cover. The critters that infected the blood he had drunk weren't what allowed him to stand outside in the daytime. All vampires could go out briefly in the daylight after they had recently fed-unfortunately it was too briefly. Ventrue clan had an even greater fortitude against fire and sunlight than most clans had. Already the heat from the sun was making its way through the clouds and burning his flesh, if it weren't for the clouds he'd be in agony by now. The Tremere clan was experimenting with different types of sunscreens and spells in an attempt to lengthen the time that a vampire could be outside in the daylight. It would be a great boon for the clans of the Camarilla if they succeeded. 

Tomorrow night the Primogen council was to meet. Usually he allowed Anthony to represent the Ventrue clan, but tomorrow night he planned to attend as well. He turned to head back inside just as Skinner walked outside dressed in the freshly laundered clothes he had worn last night. 

"What did you do to me last night?" 

"What do you mean, Walter?" 

"I don't understand why I came here with you! Unless you drugged me!" Skinner growled as he got nose to nose with the other man. 

"You came because I have the means to free you from the men that hold your life in their hands." Sirius enjoyed seeing the fire within those passionate brown eyes. This man would do honor to the Ventrue clan unlike the other childer he had sired all of whom now long dead. 

"I don't understand what you're talking about?" 

"You can't keep secrets from me, Walter. I know all about Alex Krycek and this worldwide consortium. I also know about the intimate feelings you have for one of your agents." 

Skinner swallowed. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" 

"Did you know that the name Walter means ruler of people?" 

"Dammit! I don't give a fuck what my name means! Tell me why you brought me here!" 

"I seek an heir, a childe to take over my empire." 

"What does that have to do with me?" 

"I've chosen you to be my heir... my childe." 

Skinner barked with laughter at the insanity of the younger man standing before him. He figured this must be some sort of a sick joke. "What do you plan to do adopt me?" 

Sirius pushed him roughly against the wall with superhuman strength and kissed him possessively. Walter struggled briefly then melted into the kiss. The vampire's skin started to smoke as the blood from last night lost its potency. He sucked Walter's tongue into his mouth and bit into it until blood flowed down his throat and doused the burning. All the while he fed, Walter moaned with pleasure. Sirius could feel the swell of Walter's large erection pressed against his hip. 

His salvia quickly healed the puncture marks he had made in his chosen's tongue. 

"Would you like me to take care of this for you?" Sirius purred as his fingers squeezed the hard organ through Walter's pants. 

Walter nodded, his eyes closed, and lips parted as he breathed heavily with arousal. 

Sirius smiled, sank to his knees, and freed Walter's impressive erection. He took the head into his mouth and toyed with the slit with the tip of his tongue while his fingers kneaded the plum-sized balls. The vampire fought the urge to feast on them. Instead he sucked harder on the cock until he felt Walter's release spurt onto his tongue. 

When Skinner had finished coming, he sank down to his knees on the hard concrete. 

Sirius took him in his arms. "When you go into work tomorrow, I want you to put in for a month of vacation starting next Monday." 

Skinner didn't question why Sirius wanted him to take vacation. He only knew that he wanted to please him. "The Deputy Director would never approve that amount of time on such short notice." 

"You'll need at least that much time for your training." Sirius held him tenderly. "Don't worry about the Deputy Director; he will approve your request." 

"What training?" Skinner asked as he came out of the sex-induced stupor. 

"I promised to free you from the hold your enemies have over you. For that you need training." 

"Sirius, how do you know so much about me... about them?" 

"All will be explained in the coming days. Now let's go back inside, I want to give you a tour of your future home." 

* * *

Hoover Building  
Monday, January 25, 1999  
3:30 p.m. 

Doggett waited at the counter inside the accounting department. He was filing a reimbursement form for the dry cleaning bill on a suit damaged on his last case when the child he had rescued had thrown up on him. 

He finished filling out the form and waited for the buxom blonde to get the hell off the telephone. 

"Hey, girls, fox alert," the blonde called as she hung up the telephone. She and the other four women stopped what they were doing and hurried up to the counter and peered out into the hallway. 

Doggett turned to see what they were waiting for. It was less than a minute later that _his_ Fox strolled past the office blissfully unaware of the five women ogling him in accounting. 

"God what a hunk," the brunette sighed. 

"Too bad he's doing that frigid partner of his," the short middle-aged woman next to her said. 

"Well Foxy Mulder can do me anytime, anywhere," the brunette purred. 

"Me, too," the blonde echoed then turned to Doggett. "Have you finished filling out the form, Agent Doggett?" 

"Yeah." Doggett shoved it at her then hurried out of the department. Damn he couldn't believe he had sex with the bureau's resident loony toon. He had heard all about Spooky Mulder when he went through Quantico then later from office gossip and rumors, but he had never met the man. How could he have been so stupid? Just how many men in D.C. had the weird ass first name of Fox? 

What was he going to do? Doggett sighed inwardly as he admitted that he still wanted to see Fox. Maybe the rumors were false. Fox had seemed relatively normal to Doggett. Not anything like the lunatic he had imagined from the stories going around the FBI about him. He rode the elevator up to his floor as he planned his next course of action. 

* * *

Mulder completed typing up his report while his mind kept drifting to his weekend with John. He wondered if he would come across as too needy if he showed up on John's doorstep tonight? Maybe it would be better to wait a few days. 

He glanced at his watch and started closing the files he had opened on his computer as another pointless day at work came to an end. Maybe he should stop and visit the Gunmen on his way home. They might have some new conspiracy theory that would stimulate his mind. 

Mulder grabbed his overcoat and pulled it on. He hurried out of the bullpen on his way to the parking ramp. As he approached his car, Mulder spotted someone leaning up against it waiting for him. The man turned his head at the sound of his footsteps. Mulder's stomach drop. 

"Fox." 

"John, what are you doing here?" 

"I work here... Special Agent John Doggett from the Criminal Investigation Unit." 

Mulder felt ill, deceived. "Did you know who I was all along? Was this some sort of a set up?" 

"No. I had no idea who you were until I saw you walk by accounting this afternoon. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to locate your car in the parking ramp." Doggett glanced around another agent had stepped into the ramp from the staircase and headed in the opposite direction. "Fox, let's go somewhere and talk. I don't want to have this conversation here." 

"Go where?" 

"My place." 

Mulder nodded. "Okay." He was still reeling. 

"I'll see you there," Doggett said as he turned and headed toward the stairs. His truck was parked two levels down. 

The minute Mulder climbed behind the wheel of the car he had his cell phone out and punching in the Gunmen's number. 

"Magic Bullet," Frohike's voice answered. 

"Frohike, it's Mulder turn off the tape." 

"Hey, Mulder, what do you need?" Frohike asked after turning off the tape. 

"I need you to run a background check on someone. A real thorough check, I want every little detail about him. This is important." 

"Don't worry, Mulder, I'll get you everything on him even the style of underwear he wears." 

"He wears cotton boxers," Mulder said softly, remembering Saturday night. 

Frohike's voice lowered with interest. "Is this work-related or is it personal?" 

"Both." 

"Who is he?" 

"Special Agent John Doggett he's an agent in the Criminal Investigation Unit. This is really important to me, Melvin, I need to know if he's dirty... if he works for them." 

"I'll have every piece of data I can find about him to you by tomorrow morning." 

"Thanks, Fro, I'll owe you big on this one." 

"No problemo." 

Mulder disconnected then started his car. 

* * *

Doggett made it to his house first. He carried his briefcase inside and was just hanging up his coat when Mulder arrived. 

"Come in, Fox," he said as he opened the door. "Hang your coat in the closet. I'm going to start dinner, we can talk in the kitchen." 

After hanging up his coat, Mulder walked back into the kitchen. John was pulling out some cans of chili beans from the cabinet and a cornbread mix. 

"I hope you like chili." 

"You're cooking dinner for me?" 

"I'm fixing dinner for myself, but you're welcome to stay and eat with me." Doggett had seen how upset Fox had been at finding out he worked for the FBI, too. In fact Fox appeared more upset than he had been and Doggett had been pretty pissed off. Doggett wanted to make him feel comfortable so he figured that if he distracted Fox by preparing dinner it would take some of the tension off the situation. 

"How good are you at following directions?" Doggett asked. 

"Is this a trick question?" 

Doggett tossed him the package of cornbread mix. "You can make the cornbread, the directions are on the back." 

Mulder looked at the back of the box while Doggett pointed out where he kept the mixing bowls, measuring cups, and utensils. 

Doggett chopped a small onion then added it along with a pound of ground beef and two crushed cloves of garlic to a large skillet. He used a wooden spoon to mix the meat as it browned. "Fox, I was pretty pissed off when I found out who you were. There are so many weird rumors going around the bureau about you that...." 

"That you don't want to be involved with someone with my rep," Mulder completed. 

"Wrong, buddy. I don't know if the stories about you are true or not. All I know is that I liked the man I met on Saturday and would like to continue a relationship with him." 

Mulder stopped stirring the cornbread batter and looked at John. "I believe in aliens and all sorts of things that go bump in the night. I'm trying to expose a conspiracy that goes deep within our government and military, even within the FBI. My father worked for the state department and was involved in the conspiracy up to his eyebrows. He was murdered because of what he knew. My best friends publish the Magic Bullet magazine. They're conspiracy experts." He arched an eyebrow and asked, "Do you still want a relationship with me?" 

"You don't make this easy do you?" 

"My sister was abducted by aliens." 

"I get it already! You believe in little green men!" Doggett took a deep breath to control his temper. The one guy in years that he'd been attracted to turns out to an oddball. He glanced over at Mulder, his anger lessened as he felt a stirring in his groin, one damn sexy oddball. "Okay, Fox, as long as these little green men don't show up while we're having sex, I think I can put up with that delusion of yours." 

"Two things, John! One they are gray and two I'm not delusional!" 

Doggett sighed, realizing that he was fucking this up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you delusional. If you were, then the FBI would have canned your ass years ago." He added the other ingredients to the chili. "You do have a reputation as a genius for solving serial murders, among other things. Look, Fox, I still want to see you, just don't expect me to believe in little gray men." 

"John, I accept that you don't believe in aliens, most people don't. Maybe some day you'll be able to open your mind to the possibility. But since you're willing to put up with that aspect of my life then I'll try to put up with your love for Nascar." Mulder put the cornbread in the oven he'd come close to tossing the pan at John. 

"Do you want to grab us a couple of brews?" Doggett said as he stirred the chili then lowered the temperature to simmer. 

Mulder pulled two bottles of Michelob from the fridge and twisted off the caps. 

"How long have you been with the FBI, John?" he asked as he handed Doggett a beer. 

Doggett leaned against the counter. "I graduated from Quantico in 1995. I was a New York Police Detective before then." 

"So about four years?" 

"Slightly less, why?" 

"I was just trying to figure out why we never ran into each other at work." Mulder sat at the small dinette table in the kitchen. 

"Considering how many agents work at the Hoover building it's not very surprising." Doggett pushed himself away from the counter and headed out of the kitchen. "I'm going to lose the suit while the chili simmers, if you want you can borrow something to wear. We're about the same size." 

Mulder set the beer bottle on the table and followed John into the bedroom. "I would like to get out of the suit. Thanks." 

John handed him a gray t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. "I can't loan you any shoes your feet are bigger than mine." 

"No problem," Mulder said as he started undressing. He removed his holstered gun and set it on the dresser. 

Doggett started to change into jeans and a t-shirt. He kept an eye on Fox while he undressed. "Can you spend the night?" 

Mulder looked at John as he hung his suit in the closet. "Yes. I don't think anyone will notice if I wear the same suit into work tomorrow." 

Doggett chuckled. "I wouldn't be so sure about that." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Only that I agree with the women in accounting." He placed a hand on Mulder's shoulder then leaned in and kissed him. "You can do me anytime, anywhere." 

Mulder gave John a questioning look. 

Doggett smirked. "I'll fill you in later about your fan club. Let's go eat." 

* * *

Rainer Estate  
Monday, January 25, 1999  
11:00 p.m. 

Anthony followed Sirius up the spiral staircase to the Primogen council room. The younger vampire did not even try to hide the disdain he felt for the elder vampire who's mere presence caused him to be the number two Ventrue attending the council meeting. It was bad enough that a Ventrue was not the Prince of D.C. Instead that position had gone to a fucking Tremere warlock. He blamed it on Sirius whom as the eldest Ventrue in D.C., as well as the whole of North America, Sirius could have been the Prince. Should have been Prince. Instead he disgraced the Ventrue clan by allowing and supporting the Tremere in the position even over Anthony, another Ventrue, who had vied for the position after his sire's, sire's, sire's sire had turned it down. As a ninth generation Ventrue, Anthony felt he was entitled to the position over even the oldest Tremere who were not, in his opinion, even vampires but a clan of thieves that had turned themselves into vampires by sorcery. 

The council room was located in a stone tower on Prince Damien Rainer's property. The property at one time had been a Catholic seminary. Several of the old buildings on the land date back to the 1700s and had been renovated for the Tremere clan's uses. The stone tower was the oldest and tallest structure on the estate and from its battlement one could see the Atlantic Ocean and the lights of D.C. 

The round stone council room was softly lit with several electric torches. A set of iron steps led up to the battlement. In the center of the council chamber was a large round table that sat inside a pentagram pattern on the stone floor. 

"Sirius, this is a pleasant surprise," Damien Rainer said as he rose from his chair at the table and walked across the space to kiss the elder vampire's ring. 

"Damien, why are you surprised? I've always taken an interest in our city, it is why I backed you as prince," Sirius said as he met Anthony's eyes and smiled smugly then focused his attention completely on the handsome silver-eyed Tremere an old friend who he had come to trust over the centuries. 

Anthony held his tongue at the righteous look Sirius had given him. This was not the time or place to show the contempt he felt for Sirius over the traitorous humiliation he had caused the Ventrue clan. Even if it meant breaking the Traditions he would see to it that Sirius was destroyed and the Ventrue clan returned to its rightful place as rulers of D.C. But he must be patient and not show his true feelings in front of the other clans. 

All the other council members from each of the seven clans of the Camarilla were already present. Vagon from the Nosferatu clan sat to the right of Damien at the round table. Vagon was one of the most hideous Nosferatu that Anthony had ever laid eyes upon. His eyes were a diseased yellow with snakelike pupils. He had no nose only two cavernous nostrils and his gray skin was totally hairless. Two large misshapen ears crowned his head. Anthony found all Nosferatu to be frightful creatures, but if one could get past their appearance and the vileness of their living in the sewers and feeding upon all sorts of creatures...well they were still frightful, but they had their uses. 

Next to Vagon sat Rachel Lagares she was an eighth generation Gangrel elder. She was a sharp contrast to the Nosferatu. Her slight build was dressed in tight jeans and a leather jacket. Waves of beautiful amber hair fell down her back while her stunning violet eyes watched Sirius suspiciously as he sat in one of the empty chairs at the round table. Anthony took the chair to Sirius' left as his bitterness increased. All the other clan elders were focusing their attention of Sirius, while he wasn't even worthy of their notice. The Gangrel appeared uncomfortable at being inside the tower on the Tremere estate. Her eyes kept darting toward the door of the windowless room. Anthony caught a glimpse of her long catlike tail as it swooshed anxious out of the back of her jeans. Typical Gangrel like all nocturnal creatures they hated being trapped inside once the sun had set. 

The Malkavian elder sat between two empty chairs. She was having a disjointed discussion with one of the chairs. Anthony had long ago decided that Durante wasn't as crazy as she made out to be. And she wasn't all that bad looking if one looked past the purple hair, lime green lipstick, and the gold eye shadow she wore on the lids of her turquoise eyes. 

Marcus Lager the Brujah elder grabbed the empty chair and threw it across the room. "Would you shut the hell up already you Malkavian nutcase!" 

"That was not nice, not nice at all, Brujah. I was talking to your sire," Durante said. 

"My sire has been dead for two centuries." 

Durante eyes sparkled with madness, she muttered, "Yes, deary, he is very, very dead... yes, yes, that is right indeed... under the moon... you reaped his head with a sickle and put it in a jar to pickle." 

Lager visibly flinched. To murder one's sire was a crime punishable by the final death. 

"Liar!" he snarled as he attacked the tall Malkavian. The Brujah was powerfully built, brutish in appearance, and a terrifying sight when angered. He outweighed Durante by over a hundred pounds. So it surprised all when the skinny Malkavian slammed him against the wall with such force that it felt like a small earthquake had rocked the tower. As the Brujah slid down the wall in a temporary stupor, Vagon the Nosferatu stepped between the two. 

"Enough!" the Nosferatu growled. 

Rozina Soares, the Toreador elder, applauded. "Bravo. Nothing like a little floor show to start off our meeting." 

The Tremere sighed, "Maybe we better begin the meeting." 

Lager regained his feet and staggered over to his chair and sank into it while keeping a cautious eye on the Malkavian. Already his body was mending the bones broken by the Malkavian. 

After everyone was seated, Prince Damien began the meeting. "The Sabbat has moved into the abandoned Holy Trinity church in Alexandria. We must rout them before they can claim to large a foothold inside our city." 

Lager slammed his fist on the table. "Damn them to hell! They already control most of the cities along the East Coast! We can't allow them to seize control of D.C.! If they do then the only place safe for us will be the fucking West Coast!" He hated the Sabbat with a passion far greater than the rage he currently felt for the Malkavian. 

"I have no objection to moving to L.A.," the Toreador purred. 

"Well I do," Sirius said, "D.C. is the seat of the greatest power this world has ever beheld. From here we of the Camarilla influence political decisions that will affect the world as a whole. The Camarilla owns this place, and we're not going to allow it to be taken from us." 

"I have tunnels that access the church," Vagon said. "I can lead a force of Nosferatu in to destroy them." 

Lager sneered, "Stay in your underground pesthole, Sewer Rat, the Brujah clan will take care of these invaders!" 

"Can't we all just get along like happy harpies from Holland?" Durante said as she spun around in circles in her chair. 

"Damien, how many are there?" Sirius asked, ignoring the Malkavian. 

"It was the Gangrel clan that discovered them," Damien said and turned to the Gangrel elder. "Rachel, would you please fill everyone in on what your clan discovered?" 

"They are a small group of five Tzimisce, two Lasombra, and one Brujah. Most of them are whelps of the thirteenth generation, but two are ninth generation and might put up a worthy fight. It shouldn't be too difficult for me to destroy them." 

Prince Damien tented his fingers thoughtfully and smiled at her. "While I admire your courage, Rachel, I would like a combined team from the clans of the Camarilla to deal with them. And I don't want them all destroyed. Bring one back to me." 

"We will bring you back the Brujah traitor," Lager said. 

"Very well, Lager, work with Rachel and Vagon to assemble a team from within your clans," Damien said. 

* * *

Doggett's House  
Tuesday, January 26, 1999  
Midnight 

Mulder lay fully sated in John's arms, his fingers gently caressed up and down the other man's sides. "I had one serious relationship with another agent at the bureau. It didn't end well; Diana had put her career first and left me to take a promotion in Europe." 

"You were serious about her?" Doggett asked. 

"I was in love with her. At least I thought that I was...." 

"I've never been involved with someone from work or for that matter in a relationship with another man. How do you want to handle this?" Doggett's hand rested on Mulder's left buttock. He looked forward to the day when he could sink his cock between those to lush globes. 

"I think we should keep our relationship a secret. John, I have enemies within and out of the bureau that would use this against me. Besides I've worked with other agents that have made derogatory comments about gays. I'd rather we didn't jeopardize our careers or lives by coming out of the closet just yet." 

"I agree. My present partner would not like finding out that his partner is queer. What about your partner?" 

"Scully?" Mulder frowned. "I don't like keeping secrets from her, but in this case I think it's better if she doesn't know about us. At least not yet." 

"Are you afraid she won't approve?" 

"I don't know what to make of Scully lately. Diana is back in D.C. and Scully seems to be jealous of her for some reason." 

Doggett frowned. "Do you still have feelings for Diana?" 

"No. I learned my lesson with her... I'm not about to get burned again." 

"There's a rumor going around that you're sleeping with Scully," Doggett said. 

Mulder raised his head and looked down at Doggett's face aghast. "That would feel incestuous... I love Scully like a sister." 

"Maybe she doesn't view you as a brother." 

"Whatever." Mulder leaned down and kissed John, he sighed contentedly as his lover's arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer. "Let's talk about my partner some other time. We need to get up in six hours." He doubted he'd be able to fall asleep but he was content to snuggle. 

* * *

Skinner's Apartment  
Tuesday, January 26, 1999  
3:00 a.m. 

Skinner lay awake in bed staring up at the ceiling. Yesterday morning he had put in for a month's vacation, starting next Monday, as Sirius had told him to do. He had heard back from the Deputy Director late in the afternoon that he had approved his request. For some reason, Skinner believed Sirius had a hand in that approval. 

He had no idea why he felt this irresistible need to do whatever this man told him. Did he really believe that Sirius would help him defeat his enemies? And just what did he mean about needing an heir? The man was at least fifteen years his junior. It made no sense. 

All that Skinner was certain about was that he longed to be with the other man, to feel Sirius' lips against his flesh again. A sound drew Skinner's eyes to the doorway. He smiled as Sirius stepped into the sliver of moonlight coming in through the window. 

"Miss me, Walter?" 

"How did you get in?" Skinner asked as the other man started to undress. 

"It would take more than locks to keep me from you." His mesmerizing blue eyes grazed hungrily over Skinner's broad chest. 

Skinner normally didn't allow anyone to top him. He was always the one in control of any sexual situation. The pursuer. Not that he had pursued anyone since his marriage and the death of his wife. Before he had married, Skinner had been quite active sexually with both women and men. Now he freely gave up control to the other man. Instinct told him that Sirius was more experienced than he was and the pursuer. Skinner felt flattered over the attention. 

He gazed hungrily at the other's lean body as Sirius slid under the covers and pulled him into his arms. All thoughts fled at the first touch of the other man's lips on his. 

"I'm going to make love to you, precious," Sirius said as he maneuvered Skinner onto his side and slid behind him. He caressed the hard, flat belly and moved his hand up the broad chest as his body molded behind to the other's back. Sharp fingernails flicked over dark nipples that hardened into pert nubs. Sirius' knee pushed Skinner's leg up to give him access to the tight pucker opening. All the while Skinner was moaning with pleasure. His body opened like a blossom as Sirius pushed inside him without preparation or lube. None was needed... Skinner was that far-gone with arousal that his body was totally relaxed and welcomed the intrusion. 

Skinner didn't even feel the needle sharp teeth that bit into his neck as Sirius thrusts came fast and hard. His belly churned with pleasure at each thrust that jabbed at his prostate. His entire body burned with ecstasy, from the delicious tingle coming from his throat as Sirius' lips moved against his flesh to the fullness of the other man's cock filling him. When Skinner came, it was to the most powerful orgasm that he'd ever experienced in his life. Come pumped out in spurts, with each thrust of the other's cock, the milky fluid arched up and landed on his chest and belly. He felt Sirius release pump into him. 

Then he closed his eyes and floated blissfully to the soothing touch of Sirius' caresses. 

* * *

**FBI**  
Thursday, January 28, 1999  
10:00 a.m. 

Skinner frowned as he stood staring out the window in his office. He'd just returned after going out to a crime scene with Agent Jeffrey Spender. Jeffrey's mother, Cassandra Spender, who had been missing for the past year, had been found alive in a railroad boxcar while around her was a number of dead and badly burned bodies. 

Cassandra had requested to speak to Agent Fox Mulder, which upset her son who was now in charge of the X-Files. He did not want Mulder anywhere near his mother or the X-Files. Although Agent Spender was one of Skinner's direct reports and the X-Files were under Skinner's supervision, he was unable to intercede on Mulder's behalf. Both Spender and the X-Files were off limits; that order had come straight from the Director's office. 

It frustrated Skinner to no end that Spender had not done a damn thing since taking charge of the X-Files. Cases were piling up in his in basket. He never lifted a finger to investigate any of them. Spender only had two interests; his mother's case and preventing Mulder from getting the X-Files back. 

They even warned Skinner about having any contact with Mulder who now reported to A.D. Kersh. The bureau was trying to isolate Mulder by giving him and Scully shit assignments in an attempt to get him to quit. Mulder was tougher than they thought; it would take much more to get the agent to throw in the towel. 

Skinner admired Mulder for his courage and intelligence, and he tried to help him at every opportunity. However, between the bureau's hierarchy and the consortium, Skinner had come to believe that it might be in Mulder's best interest if he were to quit. If Mulder quit then Krycek wouldn't be able to force him to spy on Mulder. Skinner clenched his hands into fists. He wanted so much to shove that palm pilot up that rat bastard's ass. If Sirius kept his promise to give him the means to defeat his enemies then maybe he could help Mulder. 

Every night this week Sirius had shown up at his apartment and made love to him. Skinner couldn't wait to see him again. On Monday night, Skinner would be going to Sirius' estate to beginning his training. Skinner wasn't quite sure what that training would involve but if it would help free him from Krycek and take down the consortium he was more than willing to give it a chance. 

* * *

Tampir Estate  
Thursday, January 28, 1999  
4:00 p.m. 

Sirius had a hard decision to make. Monday night when he embraced Walter, he would provide him with his first kill. He wanted to select someone close to Walter, a death that would have meaning to him. It would be Walter's first lesson to show him that he was no longer a part of the human race but a Kindred. 

He'd gone through Walter's memories and selected several people. He had looked closely at Fox Mulder but decided against him. He wanted to teach Walter a lesson, not send him into a spiral of guilt and self-hatred by killing the one human whom he secretly loved. No the choice came down to two women, Dana Scully or Kimberly Cook. The death of either at Walter's hand would force him to accept what he had become and leave the human world behind... but they wouldn't be enough to destroy him. 

Sirius rarely killed kine for their blood. He took just enough that the kine would survive blissfully unaware that they had even encountered a vampire. The first kill was important to a fledgling even if they never killed another kine for their blood. It opened them up to the beast and taught them what would happen if they put off feeding for too long. Sirius wanted Walter to remember this lesson, so his first kill had to be someone he carried about. 

* * *

**FBI**  
Friday, January 29, 1999  
3:00 p.m. 

Mulder sank another basket. He was on administrative leave for breaking into the X-Files office this morning. Skinner had risked his career by coming down to the basement to warn him and Scully that Agent Spender was on to them. They hadn't gotten out of the office in time. Spender and several other agents had caught them. 

Yesterday Scully had interrupted his basketball game with news that Cassandra Spender had been found alive. It had all snowballed from there. 

At least his and John's relationship had been progressing nicely over the past several days. He looked forward to tonight, since they didn't have to get up and go into work the next morning. 

He glanced up as Scully entered the court carrying a cardboard box. 

"I bet you're curious about C.G.B.," she said. Her heals tapping on the polish wood floor. 

"What's that?" 

"C.G.B. Spender... his name. Cigarette-Smoking Man?" 

"What's it stand for?" Mulder shoots another basket. 

Scully watched it go through the hoop. "It's an alias, as far as I can figure. One of hundreds." 

"Scully, you want to go one-on-one? We got nothing but time now that we're on administrative leave." Mulder wasn't interested in CGB or whatever his name was he'd gone through all of this before only to run into a brick wall. 

"Aren't you curious what I've got in the box? Everything I could find on him." 

"Nothing you could ever find would be accurate or credible." Mulder shot another basket. 

"Maybe. But there's a picture you're going to want to see." She holds it out to him. 

"That's CGB Spender and my father," Mulder said as he looked closely at the photo of two men. 

"It was taken in 1973. I traced the connection to something they worked on together for 25 years at the state department. A highly classified project. There's more, if you're ready." 

Mulder nodded. Maybe for once this might lead them to some important information. 

"Cassandra Spender is, indeed, the mother of Agent Jeffrey Spender and the ex-wife of CGB Spender. But there's something that you're going to be surprised to find out. She was first abducted in 1973 on the night of November 27." 

"That's the same night as my sister." 

"And there are other names connected to CGB Spender and your father. PhDs, doctors... one a Nobel winner for early works in genetics. A Dr. Eugene Openshaw. He was the doctor that was found amongst the burn victims clinging to life beside Cassandra Spender. He died the next day in the hospital before he was questioned." 

"The project is still going on." 

"Yeah." 

Mulder frowned as he realized he would have to cancel his date with John for tonight. At the same time he felt excitement over the prospect of the hunt for information. Maybe this time they'd find enough evidence to finally bring these people down. "We need to get this information to Skinner." 

* * *

Doggett's house  
Sunday, January 30, 1999  
11:30 p.m. 

"Who could it be at this time of night?" Doggett grumbled as he looked at the clock, then clicked off the television, and stood to answer the front door. 

Mulder stood on the stoop looking like shit warmed over. 

"Fox, get in here," Doggett said as he grabbed Mulder's wrist and pulled him inside. He noted the strong smell of smoke on his clothes. 

"Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on? I heard that you and Agent Scully were suspended on Friday for breaking into Agent Spender's office. I haven't been able to reach you all weekend." 

"John, most of what has happened you'd never believe," Mulder sighed and sat tiredly on the sofa. "Scully and I have a meeting tomorrow morning with AD Kersh and AD Skinner. We'll either still have our jobs or be out on our asses." 

Doggett sat next to him. "Fox, talk to me." 

"Jeffrey Spender's mother, Cassandra Spender, was the first successful alien/human hybrid. She'd been missing for the past year and turned up in a railroad boxcar with the badly burnt bodies of the doctors that had experimented upon her. You see that's what this was all about for the last fifty years. The conspirators have been working with the alien colonists to develop a slave race of alien/human hybrids that would survive the alien invasion and subsequent Armageddon brought about by an alien virus that will wipe out the human race. The conspirators never meant to succeed, they had hoped to develop a vaccine against the alien virus first by using an alien fetus that the colonists provided them with for their hybrid experiments. Then Cassandra happened, if the colonists had found out about her the invasion would have begun and everyone on this planet would be killed with the exception of the conspirators and their families. They would have received the hybrid genes." 

Doggett was intrigued despite himself. Even if he didn't believe a word of it, it still made an interesting story. "Okay, Fox, since you're here I take it that your aliens never found out about Cassandra?" 

"Cassandra along with all of the conspirators and their families are dead. They were burned alive at El Rico Air Base by a group of faceless alien rebels who are at war with the colonists." 

"That's why you smell like smoke?" 

Mulder looked earnestly at him. "John, I know that you probably don't believe a word of what I just said, but I do appreciate that you were willing to listen. I should be getting home." 

Doggett shook his head and sighed, "C'mon, you're not going anywhere. Let's get you in the shower. You're not sleeping with me smelling like a dirty ashtray." He planned to check into his lover's story at work tomorrow. 

* * *

Hoover building  
Skinner's office  
Monday, February 1, 1999  
3:00 p.m. 

Skinner was suppose to be on vacation today, but instead he had to come in to clean up the mess that had happened over the last several days that ended with the fiery deaths of dozens of men, women, and children at El Rico Air Base. Along with Cassandra Spender whose body was found burned and strapped to a gurney. His only disappointment was that Krycek's and CGB Spender's bodies weren't among the dead. 

To top it off, four hours ago Jeffrey Spender was shot in the head down in the X-Files basement office. He was rushed to the hospital where he was listed in critical condition. This after Spender had confessed to setting up Mulder and Scully and requested that Kersh reassign them to the X-Files. 

Skinner leaned back in his chair and sighed. During all of this, he'd only seen Sirius once in the last three days. Tonight he'd be with him. There was nothing preventing him from starting his vacation now. He'd already packed a couple of bags for an extended stay at the Tampir estate. He planned to check in with Kimberly a couple of times a week, but other than that nothing would disturb this vacation. 

* * *

Hoover building  
X-Files Office  
Monday, February 1, 1999  
4:30 p.m. 

Scully stood next to Mulder and watched as forensics finished photographing and fingerprinting the crime scene. There was a pool of coagulating blood, part in but mostly out of the taped outline of a body where the head was located. 

At least she and Mulder had still been in the meeting with AD Kersh and AD Skinner when a security guard had discovered Spender lying in a pool of blood. Otherwise both she and Mulder would have come under suspicion for his shooting. 

A man suddenly appeared in the doorway with piercing blue eyes. He looked anxiously down at the taped outline of the body and then at Mulder. "Agent Mulder, may I have a word with you?" 

Mulder nodded then turned to Scully. "Scully, why don't you go home. We're not going to get any work done today." 

Scully looked suspiciously at the man standing in the doorway. She'd seen him around the bureau. Not bad looking, she wondered what he wanted with her partner. "You're probably right, Mulder. Call me later." 

Mulder followed her into the corridor while she carried her briefcase toward the elevator he and Doggett headed in the opposite direction. 

"Do you want to tell me what happened? It's all over the bureau that Agent Spender was shot down in the basement." 

"John, I think he was shot because he knew too much. He convinced Kersh to give Scully and me the X-Files back." 

"Fuck, you're telling me that we have an assassin wandering the halls of FBI?" Doggett looked deeply concerned, he'd checked into Mulder's story and was able to verify most of what Mulder had told him to a point. He couldn't find any information about aliens; only that Jeffrey Spender's mother along with several dozen people had been burned to death at El Rico Air Base. Most of the files had been sealed at a clearance level way above his current level. "Are you going to be safe working down here?" 

"I'll be fine. They've had plenty of opportunities to kill me over the years. For some reason they've left me alive." 

Doggett wasn't convinced. "Fox, you said that the conspirators and their families were all killed... who's left that would have tried to murder Jeffrey Spender?" 

"The office still smelled of cigarette smoke, my guess is that CGB Spender shot his own son. He's a ruthless SOB." 

"Are you going to bring your suspicions to the agent in charge of the investigation?" 

"Unless Jeffrey Spender pulls through and can ID his father as the shooter my suspicions are baseless. This man is above the law, John... he's protected." 

"Fox, I'm beginning to believe you about there being this conspiracy, but not about aliens. There has to be a more logical option." 

"I wish there was, John." 

"Meet me at my place after work," Doggett said. He longed to kiss the frown off Fox's lips. 

* * *

Tampir Estate  
Monday, February 1, 1999  
9:00 p.m. 

James had taken Skinner's bags up to his room, before showing Skinner into the study and serving him a cognac. The butler retreated, closing the study doors. 

Skinner sipped the cognac as he waited impatiently for his lover to join him. 

The doors opened and a man around Skinner's age stepped into the room. "So you're Sirius' latest obsession?" 

Skinner's eyes narrowed. The man had an air of arrogance about him, of the type found in those of privilege. Skinner disliked him instantly. "Who are you?" 

"I'm Anthony." 

Anthony walked around Skinner measuring him up. He openly admired the broad shoulders and narrow waist... not bad. He knew Sirius planned to embrace this man. That would make this Walter Skinner a sixth generation Ventrue, and if he learned to use his powers, in time, he'd be more powerful than Anthony. The vampire could easily prevent that from happening by killing Skinner now before Sirius had a chance to embrace him. Or he could embrace him himself, making Skinner a tenth generation Ventrue. 

"Anthony, leave us," Sirius said forcefully, taking all of the younger vampire's options away in an instant. 

Anthony tilted his head in a mocking bow then strolled out of the room. Fledglings had been known to die at the hands of older vampires. This Walter Skinner would not survive in this city for long. 

Sirius crossed the expensive carpeting until he stood in front of Skinner. He reached out and removed the crystal glass from his chosen's fingers. Then he leaned in and kissed him possessively. "Are you ready to accept my gift?" 

Skinner nodded, unable to speak. 

Sirius pressed a button on the bookshelf and it slid open revealing stone steps leading down. He took Skinner's hand and led him down into the blackness. 

The earthy scent of soil and mildew drifted up from below. Skinner was surprised that Sirius seemed to have no trouble seeing in the darkness. "Is there a light you could turn on?" 

"Shortly, Walter, you will not need artificial light to see by." 

"What do you mean?" 

They made it to the bottom of the steps and Skinner glanced back at the light coming through the open bookcase above as Sirius' hand tightened around his wrist and pulled him deeper into the blackness. They seemed to be walking on dirt. 

He heard a muffled whimper and movement to his left. "What's that?" 

"All in good time," Sirius said as he embraced Skinner. 

Skinner gasped with pleasure as Sirius' sharp fangs sank into his neck. He became hard with arousal and his hips rocked as he pressed his erection against the other man's body. A loud pounding assailed his ears. It took him a moment to realize that it was his heart beating. His heart beat harder as the blood was sucked out of his body. Soon the floor seemed to collapse as he legs gave out and Sirius lowered him to the ground. It was at this point that Skinner realized that he was dying and he struggled against the darkness closing in around him. "No." 

"Drink, childe," Sirius whispered. 

Skinner felt the salty taste of blood against his lips. He opened his mouth and clamped down over its source, hungrily sucking and swallowing. The blood pulled him back from the brink of death, but as suddenly as it was offered, it was cruelly pulled away before he had been given enough to quench his burning thirst. 

"More," he gasped through parched lips, his body in pure agony. 

"You want to survive, childe, then you must feed," Sirius said as he stood and walked to the stone steps. He left Skinner lying on the hard dirt floor as he ascended the steps and closed the bookcase behind him, trapping Skinner below. 

After Sirius had left him, Skinner thrashed around in agony for several minutes. His entire being felt parched and burned with a desperate hunger. He was pulled from his agony by the loud sound of a heart beating. It called to him like a siren's song. He placed his hand over his chest and realized that it wasn't coming from him... his heart no longer beat. What was this? Was he dead? Then he smelled the intoxicating scent of blood trapped inside a warm body lying a dozen yards from him. 

Hunger made the fangs emerge from his gums. He crawled on his hands and knees over to the source of his blind craving. He barely registered the red hair or the fear on the pretty and oh so familiar face as his teeth tore into tender ivory flesh and he gorged himself on the life giving blood. 

It was one of the most intense experiences that he'd ever had as all of Scully's thoughts and memories flowed into his mind as her blood flowed into his body. At the moment he was too crazy with hunger to relish the sensation or realize what he was doing. Her fear and pain turned into pleasure shortly before her heart stopped beating and she lay like a broken doll in his arms. 

It took less then two minutes for his feeding frenzy to be quenched and for the sudden realization of what he had done to hit him like a two-ton truck. 

"Oh my, God! NOOOO!" 

He looked down into the lifeless blue eyes of his agent staring, unseeing, up at him. A piece of tape covered her mouth. Her head had nearly been decapitated from her body. Such was the force that he had torn into her. 

He must have been down there for hours, weeping and holding Scully's lifeless body in his arms. She was stiff as a board by the time Sirius returned. 

"Goddamn you!" Skinner growled. 

"He already has, childe." 

"What have you done to me?" 

"I've given you the power you desired. You are Kindred now, Walter. You can live forever, if you learn to control the beast." He looked down at the broken body of the mortal woman. "The beast is what killed her." 

"What do you mean? I killed her because of what you've done to me!" 

"Look at her and remember, what happens when you allow the beast to take over." 

"I don't understand?" 

"You don't have to kill to feed. If you starve yourself by not feeding eventually the beast will take over and the result will be another dead kine." Sirius kneeled beside his childe. "My sire was cruel and didn't provide me with this lesson. I killed dozens before I realized this simple lesson." 

"Damn you! Why couldn't you have just told me? Why did you make me kill her?" 

"You're too strong willed, childe, you would not have listened. You needed to experience the beast first hand. You will lose a little more of your humanity each time you give into the beast. It is important to resist it." Sirius reached for the body and lifted her gently into his arms. He carried Scully over to a stone bench and tenderly laid her down. 

Skinner realized that he could see perfectly in the dark. 

"I'm a vampire?" 

"You're Kindred of the Ventrue clan and my childe." 

The intense attraction Skinner had felt for Sirius was no longer there. "You've ruined my life! You've turned me into a monster!" He stood and headed for the steps. 

"Stop." 

Skinner froze in his tracks unable to move a muscle. 

"I am your sire, you will obey me in all things." 

"Never!" Skinner struggled to break free, but he was as helpless as an infant to the other's powers. 

"I don't take my responsibilities to my childer lightly. You are the first I have embraced in hundreds of years. There have only been five others through the millennium," Sirius said as he caressed the side of Skinner's face before removing the wirerims with the blood-splattered lenses. "You no longer need these, but you will need a pair with plain glass lenses so you can pass for your former self once you return to work." 

"How can I ever go back to work? Aren't vampires unable to go out in the daylight?" 

"You are a Ventrue now, of all the vampire clans, with the exception of the Gangrels and Ravnos, we are the most able to withstand the heat of the sun. If you feed regularly, you can go into the sunshine like any kine, but not for extended periods. To do so requires an additional supply of blood." 

"What are kine?" 

"It's our name for humans." 

Skinner glanced back at Scully's body. His thoughts turned to Mulder and what losing her would do to him. 

"What will you do with her body?" 

"Dispose of it where it will never be found." 

"No. I won't put him through not knowing if she's alive or dead." 

"Childe, we cannot allow humans to have any evidence of our existence. What would they think of a body that was completely drained of blood with obvious teeth marks to its throat?" 

"That she was attacked by some animal...." 

"Until their labs test the saliva and discover its foreign properties. We cannot take that chance." 

"I cannot allow Mulder to spend the rest of his life searching for her." 

Sirius looked at his childe's earnest face and conceded to his wishes. "Very well, we will remove the head just above the bite marks and send it to your Agent Mulder." 

"No! Not to Mulder... it would destroy him." Skinner paused and thought. "Send it to the agent who will be investigating her disappearance." 

"Very well, childe. Come with me, tonight we will begin your training." 

Skinner followed his sire obediently. He had little choice. 

* * *

Doggett's house  
Tuesday, February 2, 1999  
2:00 a.m. 

Mulder woke screaming and thrashing to find Doggett holding him down and calling his name over and over. 

"Oh God, John." Mulder wrapped his arms around other man's body seeking comfort. 

"Fox, that was one hell of a nightmare." Doggett held Mulder tenderly while his body's trembling subsided. He peppered kisses to his brow. "Do you want to tell me about it?" 

"John, I need to call Scully... I think something has happened to her." 

"It was just a dream." 

"No. It was too real." 

"You're not going to tell me that you're psychic now." 

"I've had dreams in the past that proved to be real," Mulder said as he remembered the paper hearts case. 

Doggett sighed and watched as Mulder sat up in bed and reached for his cellphone that was on the nightstand. He dialed Scully's phone number while sitting with his back against the headboard. 

"C'mon, Scully, pick up." 

Doggett shook his head. "Fox, it's the middle of the night. She's probably sound asleep." 

"No something is wrong. I'm going over there." Mulder climbed out of bed and started dressing. 

"Would you at least tell me what your dream was about?" 

A visible shudder ran through Mulder's body. "I dreamed some wild animal was tearing her apart." 

"I'm going with you. You're in no shape to drive." 

"You don't have to put yourself out for me." 

"Shut up, Fox!" Doggett snapped as he started pulling on his jeans. 

Mulder frowned but kept his mouth shut until they were in Doggett's truck and he was giving him directions over to Scully's place in Georgetown. 

Doggett parked across the street from her apartment building. 

"Her car's not here," Mulder said as he scanned up and down the street for it. 

"Maybe she spent the night with her boyfriend." 

"Scully has less of an outside life than I do." Mulder shook his head. "Stay here. I'm going to see if she's home." He pulled out a set of keys along with his cellphone and tried both her apartment number and cellphone number again. 

He used the key to enter her apartment and slowly made his way from room to room. It became obvious that she never made it home from work. Breakfast dishes were still in the sink from that morning. He grew more concerned as he played the messages on her answering machine. Two were from her mother... one was around the time that he had awoken from his nightmare. 

Mrs. Scully must have had a premonition that something was wrong. He left the apartment and returned to the truck. Doggett was leaning up against it. 

He straightened when Mulder crossed the street. "Was she home?" 

"No. I don't think she ever made it home from work." 

"What do you want to do? It's too soon to put out a missing person's alert," Doggett said, feeling genuine concern for the first time since Mulder had awakened from his nightmare. 

"Let's trace the route she normally takes home from work. Maybe her car broke down or she got into an accident. I'll call the area hospitals and see if she's been admitted into any of them." 

His cellphone rang as he climbed back into Doggett's truck. "Mulder." 

Doggett waited to start the engine. It was almost three o'clock in the morning, whoever was calling his lover at this hour had to be important. 

"Mrs. Scully, no I don't know where Dana is. I was just checking her apartment...." He paused and listened. 

"I had a similar dream, that's why I came to her apartment to see if she was all right. We're going to check the route she normally takes home, and the area hospitals. I'll call you if we find anything." He paused and listened again. "Okay, you too, bye." 

Doggett gave him a skeptical look. "You're not going to tell me that Scully's mom is also psychic." 

"When Scully was abducted by Duane Barry, Mrs. Scully knew something was wrong and came to her apartment in the middle of the night. John, parents sometimes can sense when their child is in trouble." Mulder gave Doggett directions from Scully's apartment to the Hoover building. Then he started to call the area hospitals. 

When they had driven the route four times and turned up no sign of her car or an accident. And Mulder had called all the local hospitals but none of them had anyone matching her description admitted that evening, Mulder sighed, "John, I need you to drive me over to my friends' place. They may be able to help us search for her." 

Doggett reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "Don't worry, Fox, we'll find her. Now give me directions to your friends' place." 

Mulder stared out at the darkness as they drove to the Lone Gunmen's place in Baltimore. He had called them, explaining the situation to a grumpy Frohike who became less grumpy when he realized the reason behind Mulder's four-thirty in the morning phone call. 

"We'll be there in twenty minutes, Melvin." 

He couldn't believe he was going through this again. First Duane Barry, then the alien bounty hunter, and finally the alien ship in the Antarctica. And he couldn't forget about the human psychopaths that had abducted her like Donnie Pfaster, Jack Willis, or Gerry Schnauz. Who could have taken her this time? The smoker! It had to be. This could be all about revenge. Didn't he just shoot his own son in the face? Plus he had been behind two of her previous abductions. 

Mulder thought about calling Skinner, but his boss had informed them that as of five o'clock last night he would be off on a month long vacation. Mulder pulled out his cellphone and tried Skinner's number anyway on the off chance he was still at home. 

He reached Skinner's voice mail message informing the caller that he would be gone for a month, and to contact Kimberly Cook if it were an emergency. He would be checking with her twice a week. Mulder disconnected. By the time Skinner received it they'd already have the bureau investigating her disappearance. 

* * *

End of Chapter 1 - Childe  
Coming soon Chapter 2 - Fledgling   
  

If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Jo B


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